Fibula fracture for Openda, Lyon accuses referees of failing to protect him

Loïs Openda suffered a fibula fracture in his right leg and will be absent for several weeks, Olympique Lyonnais announced the day after the 0-1 defeat at Lens on Friday evening. The Belgian striker left the pitch after an hour of play.

According to the club, the former Juventus player will miss “at least until the next international break”. In concrete terms, he will be absent for at least four Ligue 1 matches — Nice, PSG, Angers and Brest — as well as three Europa League matches against Crystal Palace, Hoffenheim and Real Sociedad.

OL did not stop at a medical statement. The Rhône-based club strongly questioned the refereeing management of the match, arguing that Openda had “suffered repeated fouls from the opening minutes, for only one disciplinary sanction” — in reference to the sole yellow card issued, against Jonathan Gradit in the 50th minute.

“Olympique Lyonnais deplores the treatment suffered by its striker and considers that he did not benefit from the necessary protection, until the collision that keeps him off the pitch today,” the club wrote in its official statement. “More broadly, OL recalls that the preservation of players’ physical integrity must remain an absolute priority, and that referees are its primary guarantors.”

The public stance is rare in its vehemence and risks fueling debate over the protection of forwards in Ligue 1. For Lyon, which sits near the top of the standings, the prolonged absence of its striker represents both a sporting blow and a source of friction with the refereeing authorities.